


Red Governess

by Fullmetalruby



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-23
Updated: 2016-06-23
Packaged: 2018-07-16 21:47:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7285927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fullmetalruby/pseuds/Fullmetalruby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Ciel Phantomhive made his contract with a demon, there was someone watching. Not malevolent, not violent, just trying to do her job in peace before she's inevitably killed or imprisoned by her superiors.<br/>In a turn of luck (for her), there's an opening for a governess at the Phantomhive manor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Red Governess

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for taking the time to read this piece of shit  
> Marie has been in my head for two years and I've only just gotten around to posting her. She's gone through a lot of phases (including a long one where she had a massive scar/brand) but I think I've finally found one that I like.  
> Kuroshitsuji and all affiliated characters (c) Yana Toboso/ Square Enix  
> Marie Spears and other original characters (c) Pwnie3

 

_In all my years in various collections divisions across the globe, I have never come across a demon that could be rationalized with. You may be fortunate enough to collect the soul you are pursuing before a demon catches up to you, but should the demon arrive simultaneously or before you, it is in your best interest to let the demon have the soul. An ordinary demon is naturally more physically able than an average reaper under any circumstances._

_-Elizabeth Reed, A Reaper's Adversary: An Anthology_, _page 201_

 

Marie awoke with a chill in her bones, as she always did before something strange or terrible happened.

                It had only been a matter of time before they found out what she did, found out why she did it and who she had done it with. Before everything Marie knew was changed for the worse. And with the cold that pulsed through her blood when she woke up, she got the strangest feeling that she wouldn't be waking up here-- in the apartment she bought with her first paycheck, on the bed she bought with her second, under the bedset she bought with her third-- ever again.

                As usual, Marie rose, showered, got dressed, and put back her hair into something that may or may not hold for the entire day. It quickly proved not to be the case, as almost instantly she found herself tucking vibrant strands of red behind her ears. She sighed and rummaged around her nightstand for her glasses while she brushed her teeth.

                 She found Alexander, a stray cat she'd picked up years ago while out on a mission, and scratched him behind the ears. She wondered vaguely if someone would care for him once she was gone, or if she should just leave the window open for him to come and go as he pleased. Mother would probably come around at least once, sentimental as the woman always was. Alan would probably come around to retrieve something or other she'd borrowed and not returned.

                 A cup of strong coffee-- Marie had never liked the taste of the stuff, but it got her up and running-- and a slice of buttered bread later, she was out the door on her way to work.

                The building, of course, hadn't changed overnight. Not that she had expected it to. But inside conversations stopped when she came close, only to resume in whispers when their participants thought her out of earshot. Theories and rumors were already spreading about what had gone on last night.

_There's only one way to cure it, you know._

                Raphael was waiting inside. He pulled Marie close and whispered into her hair about their success, about what had happened, about the boy with red hair (about Adrian) who had been cured of an incurable disease overnight.  

                A few brave reapers close to Adrian came up to her and Raphael, grins splitting their faces, and excitedly shared with them a few seconds of celebration.

                "So nice to hear about your brother, Raphael!" said Elena from Scythe Design. "Things are lonely without him around, it'll be wonderful to have him back."

                Offhanded, Raphael agreed with her. He'd been running off coffee and adrenaline for three days, and it was starting to show.

                Elena sidled closer and blushed faintly. "I was wondering if maybe you wanted to come out for celebratory drinks with me and some of the other girls from around the office." Finally acknowledging Marie she hurriedly amended her invitation, although it didn't sound quite as heartfelt. "Of course, you can come too Marie."

                Raphael snorted. "As if out dear little Ruby Rose has it in her to drink. She'll be sitting with Adrian tonight, if nothing else." He flicked a strand of Marie's hair. "I however, would love to come."

                Elena smiled and scurried away to chatter with a group of girls from Personnel. Raphael let the smile fall from his face and

                With Adrian. With Mother and Father, who were taking their first days off in years. In Father's place, a tall man (with silver hair and eyes that smiled when Marie came close) was handing out assignments.

                Her assignment was fairly simple. A satanic cult was scheduled to be murdered under the authority of one of their victims. She thanked the man (Casket, his name was Casket Crevan) and went to her desk to check over the order of death. First would go Lord Andrew Percy, then Miss Angelica LaRue, and so on until all 36 members of the cult were dead.

                She decided to get out of the office as fast as she could, claiming that she had too much energy from hearing about Adrian to just sit around and do nothing. Her coworkers laughed and agreed, wishing they could accompany her into the city, but they had too much paperwork to go anywhere.

                When it was finally time to stop wasting her time in Dublin, she made her way to where a too-small boy was in a trance on a slab with a knife in his chest and exactly 36 robed members of high society gathered around like medical students in an operating theater.

                Even as she pulled out her Death Scythe in preparation, she could feel Father (no, not Father,  but _London Collections Division Supervisor William T. Spears_ ) calling her back to the office.

                It's the first time she'd ever seen a demon outside of textbooks, and she can honestly say that while she wasn't disappointed or impressed, what stood before her was definitely different from what she'd grown up learning to hate.

                The great warriors and authors of the reapers, exceptional officers like Lydia Eastep, describe demons as vapid and hideous souls with no hope  for redemption. The fallen heroes like Adrian Crevan told of gloriously hilarious psychopaths. What stood before her was neither.

                He was poised, elegant, and had the most convincing smile she'd ever seen. He was dressed as a butler and bowing to the young boy on the altar like he was the child's servant and-

_Oh._

The demon whirled, and almost faster than her eye could follow the cult members were all dead.

                She, ever dutiful even after her blatant betrayal of almost every value the reapers held dear, stepped down from the rafters and began harvesting the souls of the cultists. Lord Andrew Percy, 46, multiple lacerations to vital areas. Collected. Miss Angelica LaRue, 23, severed jugular. Collected.

                "Who are you?" The boy asked, his voice carrying more weight than his age betrayed.

                She smiled and stamped another file (Meredith Sinclair, 38, decapitated) . "Simply doing my job."

                The boy scoffed, closing his newly-contracted eye. "I meant your name, not what you're doing."

                She turned to him and inclined her head. "Officer Marie Spears, Grim Reaper Dispatch London Division. Pleased to make your acquaintance. "

                As Marie drew back her scythe to watch Antonio di Caro (17, broken neck) 's life, Supervisor Spears called again, louder this time. Marie stumbled as her father's words pierced her skull. She leaned heavily on her scythe and pressed two fingers into her temple hard enough to hurt.

                Then, Alan's gentle voice broke through. ' _Marie, I don't know what you did, but don't come back. As long as you stay in the human world, you're safe. Lie low.'_

                All at once, Marie felt a surge of lethargy, as if three people had just pumped all their tiredness into her. Marie didn't know whether to curse her friend or thank him, but for now she was too exhausted to do anything. Just before the ground rushed up to meet her, Alan's voice echoed again in Marie's mind.

                _'Run, and don't look back.'_


End file.
